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I. R. HAMILTON.

CHEMICAL FIRE EXTINGUISHING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED .OUNE 20. 1914.

Patented May 6,1919.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN R. HAMILTON, 0F YONKERS, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO SYPHO-CHEMICAL SPRINKLER CORPORATION, OF OROTON-ON-HUDSON, NEW YORK, A CORPORA- TION OF NEW YORK.

CHEMICAL FIRE-EXTINGUISHING APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed June 20, 1914. Serial N 0. 846,267.

To al whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, J OI'IN R. HAMILTON, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Yonkers, Westchester county, New York,

have made a certain new and useful lnvention Relating to Chemical Fire-Extinguishing Apparatus, of which the following is a specification, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, which form part of the same.

This invention relates especially to automatic fire extinguishing apparatus in which the distributing system may comprise auto matic sprinkler heads, hoseconnections or other distributing devices and is preferably normally charged with aqueous carbonate extinguishing liquid having incorporated nonfreezing salts or components for low temperature work. The system may be kept under the desired static pressure under normal conditions by an elevated tank or sup ply pipe and the withdrawal. of liquid therefrom under emergency conditions as in. the event of fire actuates suitable emergency devices by which, for example, chemical ing devices in a suitable tank are operated to cause the desired high emergency pressure through chemical action. These chemicals may comprise a suitable acid which may be mixed with the carbonate liquid or material which may with advantage in some cases include suitable solid carbonate material to secure the more gradual evolution of gas and the cooperating acid may be brought into contact with such solid carbonate material preferably while in a separated or screened carbonate chamber.

In the accompanying drawing which shows in a somewhat diagrammatic way several illustrative embodiments of the invention Figure l is a sectional elevation of one form of apparatus.

Fig. 2 is a similar View showing a modified form of apparatus.

Fig. 8 is an enlarged detail section.

The distributing system may be of any desired construction and may as indicated in Fig. 1 comprise one or more risers or supply pipes l to which may be connected. various distributing pipes, such as 2, on which automatic sprinkler heads or distributing devices 3 may be arranged at suitable intervals. The system may also comprise other distributing devices such as the hose connec tion 5, to which hose lines may be connected and operated when the valve 4: is opened. The distributing system may be normally filled with water or other aqueous extinguishing liquid preferably such as a suitable solution of sodium carbonate or other soluble carbonate material adapted to cooperate with the acid used to generate carbonic acid gas and thus put the system under the desired high emergency pressure, such carbonate liquid also having a desirable preserving action on the usual iron pipes used in such systems. It is also desirable for low temperature work to have suitable nonfreezing salts or materialincorporated or dissolved in the aqueous extinguishing liquid, such salts being preferably substantially in ert or neutral to the carbonate material and other components used in connection with the system so as to be free from undesirable reaction therewith. Suitable proportions of sodium sulfate or magnesium chlorid may be used in this Way in connection with so dium carbonate dissolved in the aqueous extinguishing liquid, the amount of such 11011 freezing material being of course proportioned to the conditions under which the system is to be used. It is desirable to normally maintain the distributing system under considerable pressure so as to insure the proper opening and initial operation of the distributing devices and this may be effected by connecting to the distributing system in any suitable way an upward extension of the supply pipe to which if desired a suitable pressure tank may be connected such, for example, as the tank 11 containing a suflicient amount of the same extinguishing liquid 27 for the desired emergency operation of the system. The tank may also serve as a chemical mixing pressure tank when suitable chemical mixing devices of any desired character are arranged in cooperation with the tank so as to be brought into action under emergency conditions. These devices may comprise a tipping acid container, such as 17 having sufiicient buoyancy so as to be normally though disengageably held in engagement with a retainer, such as 20, which prevents its tipping, while on the withdrawal of the extinguishing liquid from the tank the container moves down out of engagemcnt with this retainer so that it is free to tip and discharge its acid 21, causing the desired emergency action. If desired, the acid container may be guided by being pivoted or otherwise loosely mounted on one or more container arms, such as 24, which may be pivoted as by the pin 22 to the container and also pivoted as by the pin 25 to a suitable support or bracket on the mixing tank, for instance. In this way the container is more definitely supported in. cooperation with the retainer 20 so as to normally float in the vertical inoperative position indicated in full lines in Fig. 1, while as soon as the liquid descends enough to allow the container to move downward to the desired extent it is released from this retainer and tips over to discharge its acid which action may be promoted by the use of av suitable weight, such as 19, arranged in connection with the con tainer.

For some purposes it is desirable tosecur a less sudden and more gradual and prolonged cvolution of gas so as to avoid undesirable rapid rise of pressure in the apparatus and also to promote the continued dis.- charge of extinguishing: liquid from the system at the considerable emergency pressure which makes these systems most effective. It is thus desirable in some instances to use some carbonate material which is not dissolved or instantly available for reaction with theacid, solid carbonate material being sometimes desirable for such purposes. As indicated in Fig. 1 the lumps or particles of solid carbonate material, such as ii, may be pro ided in the mixing tank preferably in a suitably separated or screened carbonate chamber arranged in connection therewith so as to minimize the discharge of any such particles into the distributingsystem. For this purpose a suitable separating. device or screen, such s $3, may bearranged in any convenient mannerbetween the solid carbonate material and the supply connection between the tank and. the distributing system. Any suitable solid carbonate material may be used in this connection which will properly cooperate with the acid employed so as to secure the desired rather gradual evolution of gas throughout a number of minutes. Lumps or particles of marble or lime stone of the desired size may be used with advan-. tage in some cases in connection with an. acid which will actproperly in connection therewith, such as hydrochloric acid, forinstance,

the size of the particles being so chosen as to,

prolong the chemical action to the desired extent. And it is of course obvious that any suitable solid carbonate material may be used either inconnection with or instead of carbonate material incorporated in dissolved form in the extinguishing liquid itself, although it is usually desirable to have at least some dissolved carbonate material in the liquid to minimize the possibility of any discharged extinguishing liquid having n acid react-ion. For some purposes it is desirable to have a more activecarbonate material arranged in solid form as in lumps or particles of the desired size which are given a protective coating of some suitable material which is capable ofretarding for a time the energetic action of the acid on such protected solid carbonate material and thereafter allow an energetic evolution of g which y supplement the action of the usual carbonate material dissolved in the extinguishing liquid itself. Fig. 3 indicates diagrammatically such an arrangement, the body oat these lumps 37 being formed of any suitable active carbonate material, such, for example, as sodium carbonate or bicarbonate termed into compact solid lumps and surrounded by a suitable protective coating 380i the desired thickness of some relatively inert material,

such as a coating somewhat diliicultly soluble in the acid solution or such a coating of the desired thickness of calcium or other carbonate material substantiallv insoluble in the extinguishing liquid itself and less cncrgetically attackedby the acid incorporated therewith under emergency conditions. As indicated in Fi 1 such protected solid carbonate-material may be used in the carbonate chamber 45 in the formof lumps or particles 37 in connection with or instead of the other solid carbonate material 4A as desired.

In some cases it is desirable to have suitable supplementary carbonate material anrangcd in. connection with them-ixing tank bonate material employed and which when solid carbonate material is used may be in the form of a suitable *arrier cage or grid 15 which may be mounted as. on one or more suitable carrier arms 14 which may be pivoted, for instance, about thepin 13 supported from the tank. Any suitable carbonate material, such as the lumps 16 of sodium carbonate or other carbonate material may be arranged in the carrierso as to be kept inactive by the action of thecooperatingcarrier devices which may comprise a suitable float such as 12 connected to the carrier arm preferably in such a way as-to impart tothe carrier an increased movement as compared to the rate at which the'liquid level falls under emergency conditions. Thus when the liquid falls to any considerable extent the carrier descends to a correspcndingly greater amount and renders this supplementary carbonate material active as by im- Such 105 mersing it in the extinguishing liquid 27 in which it may readily dissolve and react with the acid which in some cases may with advantage be delivered directly upon it to secure a more energetic and localized reaction.

F or this purpose the acid container may be given such form and arrangen'ient as to deliver the acid more or less directly upon this supp]einei'itary carbonate material as for instance by forming the acid container with a suitable constricted discharge throat or aperture 18 in such position as to deliver the stream of acid against or upon the carrier and carbonate material therein. As indicated diagrannnatically in Fig. 1 one or more of the container arms 24L may cooperate with a suitable adjustable detent or stop 26 so as to limit their downward movement and the tipping action of the container may also be made more definite by providing one or more stop pins such as 23 on the container to come into engagement with the arms so as to definitely support the container in the dotted discharge position indicated when the acid is delivered in the direction of the arrow. Under these conditions the supplementary carbonate material may be in substantially the position indicated by the dotted lines so as to receive the acid, the carrier being preferably arranged laterally out of line with the acid container, that is farther to the rear of the tank and away from the plane of section of Fig. 1. as indicated so as to allow the carrier and container to pass without interference during their emergency operation while the constricted discharge aperture of the container is arranged to discharge the acid laterally upon this carrier as described.

In the form of apparatus shown in Fig, 2, the supply pipe 1 is indicated as having an upward extension 6 of suliicient height to keep the system under the desired normal pressure by the static pressure of the extinguishing liquid 27 in this supply pipe which preferably consists of an aqueous solution of soluble carbonate material and suitable neutral non-freezing material or salts as described. The supply pipe extension 6 may be provided with a suitable cap 7 and with a rent 46 therein or adjacent thereto of sufficient size to allow the preliminary withdra-wal of the liquid from the system while an automatically closing vent valve 4:7 is arranged to quickly close the vent when the system comes into high pressure emergency action. A suitable chemical mixing pressure tank such as 10 may be connected with the supply pipe or other part of the distributing system as through the liquid supply connection 36 and this tank may have chemical mixing devices of any suitable character and construction to develop the desired high emergency pressure as by chemical action of any suitable acid and carbonate material which mayincludc solid carbonate material arranged in a separate or screened chamber or part ofthe tank. As indicated the tank may be formed with a suitable depression. or carbonate chamber 4:0 extending some little distance below the connection 80 and preferably screened therefrom as by the use of a suitable screen ell extending more or less over the lumps or particles at of the solid carbonate material arranged in this chamber which may comprise suitable solid protected carbonate material as previously described. The acid. which is of course of such character as to properly cooperate with the dissolved carbonate material or salts in the extinguishing liquid 27 in this pressure tank and also with the solid carbonate material used in connection therewith may, for instance, be contained in a suitable stationary inverted acid container 29 arranged at the top of the tank and provided with a suitable constricted discharge throat or aperture 39 through which the acid may be delivered in a somewhat gradual manner under emergency conditions. A suitable plug or closure 30 may be normally held in this aperture and withdrawn therefrom under emergency conditions by any suitable emergency device, such for example, as a float 8 which may be arranged in the adjacent supply pipe for instance and have the connected float stem 9 provided with a link 35 at its lower end loosely connected to the float arm ()JL which may be pivoted about the pin 83 in the tank. The closure rod 31 connected to the plug or .closure 30 may be loosely connected to the float arm as by having its lower end mounted in a suitable slot 32 therein so that under emergency conditions when the extinguishing liquid has fallen to the desired extent in the system the float 5 withdraws the closure which by reason of its loose connections tends to fall laterally out of line with the discharge opening of the acid container and thereafter allow the discharge of the acid therefrom into the car- 1 0 bonate material in the tank. If desired, a suitable equalizing pipe 1-2 may extend between the top of the tank and the top of the acid container 29 above the normal acid level therein so as to promote the emergency acid discharge and minimize danger of leakage due to pressure changes under normal conditions.

This invention has been described in connection with a number of illustrative embodiments, parts, materials, arrangements, constructions and methods of operation, to the details of which disclosure the invention is not of course to be limited, since what is claimed as new and what is desired to be secured by Letters Patent is set forth in the appended claims.

1. In automatic fire extinguishing apparatus, a distributing system normally charged with min-freezing extinguishing liquid containing dissolved carbonate material and comprising distributing devices including automatic sprinkler heads, a connected elevated chemical mixing pressure tank containing a charge of such extinguishing liquid, automatic chemical mixing deinsure its definite discharging action, said tank comprising a screened carbonate chamber, solid protected carbonate material in said chamber to gradually evolve gas on the operation of said mixing devices, a movable carbonate carrier containing supplementary solid carbonate material normally held in inactive position out of substantial contact with said extinguishing liquid, connected means comprising a carrier float to lower said carrier at a more rapid rate than said carrier float on the lowering of the extinguishing liquid in said tank under emergency conditions and render active said supplementary carbonate material.

In automatic fire extinguishing apparatus a distributin system normally charged with extinguishing liquid containing dissolved carbonate material and comprising distributing devices, a connected ele 'vated chemical mixing pressure tank containing charge of such extinguishing he;

uid, automatic chemical mixing devices cooperating with said tank and con'iprising a tipping acid container, said tank comprising a screened carbonate chamber, solid protccted carbonate material in said chamber to gradually evolve gas on the operation of said mixing devices, a movable carbonate carrier containing supplen'ientary solid carbonate material normally held in inactive position out of substantial contact with said extinguishing liquid, connected means comprising a carrier float to lower said carrier at a more rapid rate than said carrier float on the lowering of the extinguishing liquid tinguishing liquid to gradually evolve gas on the operation of said mixing devices.

4. In automatic fire extinguishing apparatus, a distributing system normally charged with non-freezing 'extil'iguishing liquid containing dissolved carbonate ma terial and comprising distributing devices including automatic sprinkler heads, a con nected elevated chemical mixing pressure tank containing a charge of such extinguishing liquid and automatic chemical mixing devices cooperating with said tank and comprising a tipping acid container normally floating in the extinguishing liquid in said tank, a depending retainer disengagably cooperating with said container to normally hold it in inactive position, container arms pivoted to said container and to said tank, means cooperating with said container to insure its defii'iite discharging action, said tank containing solid protected carbonate material to gradually evolve gas on the o eration of said mixing devices.

In ai-rtomatic fire extinguishing apparatus, a distributing system normally charged with non-freezing extinguishing liquid containing dissolved carbonate mate rial and com 'irising distributing devices, a connected elevated chemical mixing pressure tank containing a charge of such extinguishing liquid and automatic chemical mixing devices cooperating with said tank, said tank co: aining solid carbonate mate rial largely insoluble in said extinguishing liquid to gradually evolve gas on the operation of said mixing devices.

6. Inautomatic fire extinguishing apparatus, a distributing system comprising automatic distributing devices, a connected chemical mixing pressure tank containing a charge of carbonate extinguishing liquid, automatic chemical mixing devices cooperating with said tank and comprising an acid container, said tank comprising a screened carbonate chamber, solid protected carbonate material in said chamber to gradually evolve gas on the operation of said mixing devices, a movable carbonate carrier containing supplementary solid carbonate material normally held in inactive position out of substantial contact with said extinguishing liquid, and connected means comprising a carrier float to lower said carrier at a more rapid rate than said carrier fioat on the lowering of the extinguishing liquid in said tank under emergency conditions and render active said supplementary carbonate material.

7. In automatic fire extinguishing apparatus, a distributing system comprising automatic distributing devices, a connected chemical mixing pressure tank containing a charge of carbonate extinguishing liquid, automatic chemical mixing devices cooperating with said tank and comprising an acid container, said tank comprising a screened carbonate chamber, solid carbonate material in said chamber to gradually evolve gas on the operation of said mixing devices, a movable carbonate carrier containing supple inentary solid carbonate material normally held in inactive position out of substantia contact with said extinguishing liquid, and connected means comprising a carrier float to lower said carrier under emergency conditions and render active said supplementary carbonate material.

8. In automatic fire extinguishing apparatus, a distributing system comprising automatic distributing devices. a connected chemical mixing pressure tank containing a charge of extinguishing liquid, automatic chemical mixing devices cooperating with said tank and comprising an acid container, said tank comprising a screened carbonate chamber, a movable carbonate carrier containing supplementary solid carbonate material normally held in inactive position out of substantial contact with said extinguishing liquid, and connected means comprising a carrier float to lower said carrier under emergency conditions and render active said supplementary carbonate material.

9. In automatic fire extinguishing apparatus, a distributing system comprising au tomatic distributing devices, a connected chemical mixing pressure tank containing a charge of extinguishing liquid, automatic chemical mixing devices cooperating with said tank and comprising an acid container, said tank comprising a screened carbonate chamber normally immersed in said extinguishing liquid, a movable carbonate carrier containing supplementary carbonate mate rial normally held in inactive position out of substantial contact with said extinguish ing liquid, and connected means to render active said supplementary carbonate mate rial.

10. I11 automatic fire extinguishing apparatus, a distributing system comprising distributing devices, a connected chemical mixing pressure tank containing a charge of extinguishing liquid containing dissolved carbonate material, automatic chemical mixing devices cooperating with said tank and comprising a tipping acid container normally floating in the extinguishing liquid in said tank, a dependingretainer disengageably cooperating with said container to normally hold it in inactive position, container arms pivoted to said container and to said tank, means cooperating with said container to insure its definite discharging action, said tank com prising a screened carbonate chamber, and solid protected carbonate material in said chamber to gradually evolve gas on the op eration of said mixing devices.

i1 In automatic firc extinguishing appa ratus, a distributing system comprising distributing devices, a connected chemical mix ing pressure tank containing a charge of extinguishing liquid containing dissolved carbonate material, automatic chemical. mixing devices cooperating With said vtank and comprising a tipping acid container, means cooperating with said container to insure its definite discharging action, said tank comprising a screened carbonate chamber and solid protected carbonate material largely insoluble in said extinguishing liquid in said chamber to gradually evolve on the operation of said mixing devices.

12. In. automatic fire extinguishing apparatus, a distributing system comprising distributing devices, a connected chemical mixing pressure tank containing a charge of extinguishing. liquid, automatic chemical mixing devices cooperating with said tank and comprising an acid container, said tank comprising a screened carbonate chamber, and

solid protected carbonate material comprising a soluble body and a protecting coating substantially insoluble in said extinguishing liquid arranged in said chamber to be acted upon below the level of said extinguishing liquid and gradually evolve gas on the operation of said mixing devices.

13. In automatic fire extinguishing appa ratus, a distributing system comprising dis tributing devices, a connected chemical mixing pressure tank containing a charge of extinguishing liquid, automatic chemical mixing devices cooperating with said tank and comprising an acid container and solid protected carbonate material in said tank to gradually evolve gas on the operation of said mixing devices.

14, In automatic fire extinguishing apparatus, a distributing system normally charged with non-freezing extinguishing liquid containing dissolved carbonate material and comprising distributing devices including automatic sprinkler heads, a connected elevated chemical mixing pressure tank containing a charge of such extinguishing liquid, automatic chemical. mixing devices cooperating with said tank and comprising a tipping acid container normally floating in the extinguishing liquid in said tank and bodily movable therein, a stationary depending retainer disengageably cooperating with said container to normally hold it in inactive position, container arms pivoted to said container and to said tank, and means cooperating with said container to insure its definite gradual discharging action.

15. In automatic fire extinguishing apparatus, a distributing system normally charged with extinguishing liquid containing dissolved carbonate material and comprising distributing devices, a connected elevated chemical mixing pressure tank con the extinguishing liquid in said tank and bodily movable therein, a stationary depending retainer disengageably cooperating with said container to normally hold it in inactive position and container arms pivoted to i said container and to said tank.

16. In automatic fire extinguishing apparatus, a distributing system normally charged with extinguishing liquid and comprising distributing devices, a connected elevated chemical mixing pressure tank con taining a charge of such extinguishing liquid, automatic chemical mixing devices cooperating with said tank and comprising a tipping acid container normally floating in the extinguishing liquid in said tank, and bodily movable therein, a stationary depending retainer disengageably cooperatingwith said container to normally hold it in inactive position and container guiding means cooperating with said container and tank.

17. In automatic fire extinguishing apparatus, a distributing system normally charged with extinguishing liquid and comprising distributing devices, a connected elevated chemical mixing pressure tank containing a charge of such extinguishing liquid, automatic chemical mixing devices cooperating With said tankand comprising a tipping acid container normally floating in the extinguishing liquid in said tank and 5 bodily movable therein, and a stationary depending retainer disengageably cooperating with said container to normally hold it in inactive position.

JOHN R. HAMILTON Witnesses HARRY L. DUN CAN, Jnssm B. KAY.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0. 

